Egypt, Iran set to reestablish diplomatic ties – paper

En-Rain--Egypt and Iran are in talks to reestablish diplomatic relations and start developing bilateral cooperation in all areas, an Egyptian newspaper said on Monday. Al-Ahram daily cited an Iranian envoy to Egypt as saying that new Egyptian authorities had expressed a willingness to open a new page in bilateral relations and Tehran had "immediately and positively" reacted to this initiative.
Iran severed diplomatic ties with Egypt in 1980 when Cairo signed a peace treaty with Tel Aviv. Bilateral relations deteriorated remarkably during Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s time in the office, as both countries exchanged incriminations of spying in addition to Egypt accusing Iran of smuggling weapons to Hamas in Gaza and destabilizing Egypt’s national security.
However, relations have shown signs of improvement since the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising in February. Egypt, which is currently run by an army-led transition government, has recently allowed two Iranian warships to travel through the Suez Canal in the first such passage since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution and despite strong objections from Israel. 

Vietnam Keen on Expanding Commercial Ties Zawya--Vietnam’s Minister of Industries and Trade Vu Huy Hoang said that his country wants to expand trade ties with Iran, which is an important Middle East state.  

Hoang told the members of Iran-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group that expansion of commercial relations with Iran will be to his country’s favor, IRNA reported. 

He urged closer cooperation between Iran and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adding that Vietnam could arrange necessary coordination in this respect. 

The minister also asked formation of a joint working group committee to remove problems in different fields particularly energy sector. 

"We want to negotiate on free trade deal, preferential tariff agreement and other development agreements," he said. 

Head of Iran-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group Mohammad-Mehdi Mofatteh, for his part, said Iran is ready to share experience with Vietnam.

Iran overcomes hegemons in insistence on nuclear rights: Leader  

Tehran Times - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says that Iran has successfully managed to withstand the pressure exerted on the country by the hegemons over its nuclear program.   

“The hegemonistic powers exploited their full political, propaganda, and economic potential and made efforts to dissuade the Islamic Republic of Iran from pursuing its (nuclear) issue through creating a brouhaha as well as imposing pressure and sanctions (on the country),” the Leader stated at a meeting with a number of military officials in Tehran on Sunday. 

“However, after eight years, Iran has now overcome all the pressure applied by the arrogant powers and has thwarted all their attempts. It has made great progress in the nuclear area and has proved that it is stronger than the major world powers when it comes to the war of wills,” he added. 

In a 32-year struggle with the forces of imperialism, the Islamic Republic of Iran not only did not yield to the domineering powers, but also made progress, the Leader said.

On the other hand, the U.S. and its allies have suffered defeat over the past years and are in decline, he added. 

The Leader also said that the Islamic Republic’s resistance against the pressure exerted by the bullying powers has turned it into a role model for regional nations. 

“Almost all the world’s analysts maintain that the current movements in the Middle and North Africa have been inspired by the revolution of the Iranian nation,” he noted. 

“Further regional developments are on the way,” the Leader predicted. 

He also stated that Iran plays an influential role in regional and international developments, particularly those related to Palestine. 

Saudi: GCC condemns Iran’s interference in Kuwait

 Global Arab--Saudi (RIYADH) - GCC foreign ministers Sunday condemned Iran’s "blatant" interference in State of Kuwait’s internal affairs by "planting expionage networks on its territory" to undermine its security, stability and interests of its citizens.

The foreign ministers, in a statement at the conclusion of their one-day extraordinary meeting, commended the security bodies in Kuwait for uncovering the Iranian-related spies.

They affirmed support to all measures taken by the State of Kuwait to protecting its national security.

The top diplomats, said the statement, expressed concern for the "continuous Iranian interference in the domestic affairs of the GCC countries, by conspiring on its national security ... and sectarian sedition between its (GCC countries’) citizens, independence, good neighborliness principles, international laws, the Charter of the UN and OIC." The foreign ministers welcomed the return of calm and stability in the Kingdom of Bahrain, praising the spirit of the Bahraini people who sought the country’s higher interests.

Bahrain has the capabilities and wisdom to dealing with its internal affairs, said the ministers who, at the same time, "strongly condemn the Iranian interference" in Bahrain’s affairs.

The foreign ministers, meanwhile, said the deployment of the Peninsula Shield forces in Bahrain was legitimate because it was in compliance with defense agreement binding the six GCC countries - Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and UAE.

They, however, condemned the Iranian shura council national security and foreign affairs committee’s statement which claimed that Saudi Arabia’s policy was "playing with fire." The Iranian statement, which also called on Saudi Arabia to pull out forces from Bahrain, "is a hostile position and a provocative intereference in the internal affairs of the GCC countries," said the ministers.

On Yemen, the top diplomats voiced great concern over the security deterioration and big division gap in Yemen, a matter that would undermine interests of citizens and economy as a whole.

They called on parties in Yemen to launch dialogue to ultimately reach reforms and bring about social peace.

The ministers said they respected the wishes and choices of the Yemeni people. They said they would be establishing contacts with the Yemeni government and opposition to address the conflict.